KIEV, Dec. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Ukrainian state-run aircraft manufacturer Antonov on Tuesday has unveiled an An-132 small-sized transport plane, which could be used in civil and military aviation.
The aircraft, which was developed by Antonov in cooperation with the Saudi company Taqnia Aeronautics, was displayed to public during a ceremony in Kiev with the participation of Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.
Speaking during the ceremony, Poroshenko said he sees a huge potential for the An-132 to enter the global aircraft market.
"We are confident that this plane has a great future. We estimate its market demand at between 260 and 290 planes by 2035," Poroshenko said.
The newly-designed aircraft with a top speed of some 500 km per hour is able to serve the short and medium range air routes. It is capable of carrying up to 9.2 tons of cargo.
The multi-purpose plane could be used in emergency medicine, fire-fighting, skydiving, cargo transportation and reconnaissance missions.
According to the manufacturer, the distinctive feature of the new aircraft is that it can operate on the unpaved runways, in mountainous areas and in difficult climatic conditions.
